WATCH: Brian Ortega Stars In ‘Fighting Spirit’ Modelo Ad

UFC featherweight Brian Ortega was on the wrong side of a one-sided beating at UFC 231 in December. The top contender was battered by current champion Max Holloway before doctors ultimately stopped the fight at the end of the fourth round.

Despite the beating, Ortega showed unparalleled toughness and grit, and now he is being rewarded for his efforts.

On Thursday, February 28, Modelo USA released a brand new ad titled “Fighting Spirit” featuring the UFC standout.

“They said, ‘You are what we’re looking for,” Ortega said, via MMAjunkie. “‘We’re looking for the fighting spirit. We’re looking for stories of people who have had to go through crazy trouble, these ups and downs, and still come out on top.’ They go, ‘That’s you.’ I was honored by that. I told them, ‘I’m honored, I’m humbled, and let’s get this show cracking.’”

The ad comes despite Ortega suffering the first loss of his professional career.

“I feel like I’ve been blessed because there’s a lot of people who take a loss in their career, and a lot of people, the fans, they tend to forget about you,” Ortega noted. “It just tends to be a rough patch in a lot of fighters’ lives. But for me, I left it all in there. I left it all in that cage. I did not have one reserve on me.

“I threw it all out, and I gave my fans – I literally cut my heart open that night, and I gave it to you guys, and I feel like everyone respected me for that. They loved me for that. It was my first loss, but if there was a way I was going to lose, I’m happy it was that way.”